Milwaukee Overpowers Butler, 76-52

Jan 04, 2011

MILWAUKEE, WIS.. -- Forwards Anthony Hill and Tony Meier
combined for 42 points and guard Kaylon Williams added a
triple-double to help host Milwaukee cruise to a 76-52 victory over
Butler at U. S. Cellular Arena on Monday, Jan. 3. It was
Butler’s biggest margin of defeat in more than five
seasons.

Hill hit nine of 10 shots from the field and added four of six from
the free throw line to finish with 22 points. Meier was
nearly as hot, hitting eight of 11 shots including four of seven
from beyond the three-point arc and finishing with 20 points.
Williams chipped in with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

“No brain surgery here. We got pounded tonight,”
said Butler head coach Brad Stevens, after the game.
“(Milwaukee’s) on a roll right now. They played
well in Detroit and they shot it in tonight. We had something
to do with that, but they had a lot more to do with it.”

Hill scored five points and Meier added two to give Milwaukee an
early 7-0 lead, and the Panthers never looked back. Milwaukee
(8-8, 3-2 Horizon League) shot 67% from the field in the first 20
minutes and led 37-29 at halftime. Hill and Meier each had 13
points.
That margin quickly stretched to 18 in the second half when the
Panthers opened the final period with a 17-7 run. Milwaukee
took its biggest lead at 68-43 with 5:25 remaining, before settling
for the 24-point win. It was Butler’s biggest margin of
defeat since the 2004-05 season, when UIC handed the Bulldogs a
73-49 setback.

Senior Matt Howard led the Bulldogs (10-5, 2-1 HL) with 14 points,
12 of which came in the first half. The 6-8 forward was
whistled for three quick fouls in the second half, and he wound up
playing just 25 minutes in the game. Junior Ronald
Nored added 12 points, and senior Shawn Vanzant came off
the bench with 11.

The Panthers wound up shooting 55% from the game, including 48%
from beyond the three-point arc. Milwaukee, which hit 16
three-pointers in an overtime victory at Detroit on Saturday (Jan.
1), finished with 11 three-point field goals against the
Bulldogs. Meier and guard Tone Boyle, who finished with 15
points, each hit four three-pointers, while Williams added
three.

Butler shot just 39% (21-54) for the game and 33% (5-15) from the
three-point arc.

The road doesn’t get easier for the Bulldogs. Next up
is league-leading Cleveland State, sporting a 15-1 record and a 4-0
Horizon League mark. Butler will host the first-place Vikings
on Friday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. (ET).